Tuesday, August 18, 2009

I have a friend who begs me every year to go with her to a tattoo shop and get inked up with a little body art. EVERY year~ And every year that I get a little older I am seriously torn between letting her get me drunk,( 'cause that's what it would take to drag my sorry self in) and get a little something done and just shaking my head and saying, "No way." So far, the "No way," has won.

On one hand, we only live once, right? On the other, an old joke comes to mind every time I think about getting a tattoo:Wife says: "I've always wanted a rose bud tattooed above my left breast."Husband says: "So why don't you get one?"Wife says: "Because I don't want to watch it turn into a long stemmed rose as the years go by." (cue the laughter - or the groans)

So yeah, that's part of it. Another part is that it's kind of, well, naughty,right? I mean, BAD girls get tattoos, don't they? And somewheredeep inside, I'd like to think I'm a little bad - even if I am a gramma.

It's because I'm a gramma that I got to thinking about this again. I didn't comment on Lois's blog yesterday (sorry, Lois) because it was "Girl's day" out with my 8 year old granddaughter. Kayla and Gramma started our big day at the Mall where we both got pedicures and manicures and hit a two-fer sale on toe rings. Then we hit several stores and both had a blast buying her school clothes - they are SOOOO cute!!. but I digress. In one of the shops, this lovely Indian woman waited on us and her hands were covered with Henna Tattoos. I asked her about them and she told me that she was at a wedding this past weekend and all the women got the Henna tattoos to honor the bride and to bring her good luck. Of course, the bride was tattooed first and then everyone followed. What a lovely tradition. And the tattoos really were stunning.

Anyway, seeing them got me thinking about getting that tattoo again. So, I'm taking a pole: Who among you have a tattoo and do you ever regret having it done or does it still make you smile when you spot it? Who among you have ever thought about getting a tattoo? And if you want one and haven't done it, what's keeping you from it? If you don't want one, what do you think about someone else getting one?

Cindy, I'm with you on the gramma thing. . . what fun!! And I'm kinda there on the tattoo thing also. I'd love to have some lovely piece of art on my skin-- something meaningful and lovely to symbolize some aspect of my life.I do have personal "totems" images and symbols that mean a lot to me and help to guide me in my choices. . . so it would be cool to have one of them on my skin.

But like you, Venus, I get stopped stopped every time by the "forever" aspect. And by the thought of the process. . . I am not a big fan of pain.

Still-- I am fascinated by some of the tattoos I've seen. . . florentine scrollwork down the side of the body. . . a lace of etheral butterflies across the shoulders. . . a pair of angel wings on the shoulder blades.

don't have the pain tolerance for such a display, but maybe one small butterfly. . . someplace private. . .

I have 3 of them! :) And I love all of them for what they represent! I don't regret any of them! And can't wait to get some more.

#1 is a Kanji symbol for strength and power that is on my right shoulder blade. I got that one when I was 19.

#2 is a Celtic knot on the outside of my right calf. It has the colors from my dh's family crest. I got this right before we got married. This honestly was a way to honor him without getting his name tattooed on me :) Easy to color over if I ever throw him over...

#3 is another Celtic knot on the back of my left calf. This one has a Star of David in the middle. It is colored blue and pink. It then has my ds's initials around the top and my dd's initials around the bottom. The Celtic knot symbolizes my dh's heritage and the Star of David mine!

And now that you know more about me than you ever wanted to know...LMAO!

Aly - Yea YOU! No one has to tell you to go for it - you already did. I studied Kanji symbols/tattoos before I gave them to my heroine in OVER THE LINE. Have often thought since of getting one for myself.

Kylie - I hear you. I'd hate to have a butterfly mistaken for varicose veins :o) But then again - no guts no glory.

I'm in the "No way" corner because of the forever aspect and the pain issue. My husband had to get sloshed to get his tat and he's a big brawny man. Of course I've given birth twice sans pain killers, so a tat should be a piece of cake, right? But it's still FOREVER.

That being said, I got a henna tattoo in Cancun and it was such fun. They fade over the course of about 2 weeks and then they are gone. You can buy henna tattoo kits. You and your granddaughter may want to try that sometime. And I love the "Girl's Day" idea. Must file that away for when my granddaughter is a little older. I'll take any excuse to get a mani/pedi.

I have 3. Love them all. Will get more. Already have design #4 ready. But I will only put my own designs on my body. I can't see walking into a tattoo shop, paging through a book, and picking something out. I want it personal, something I've created.

I have a faery on my back right shoulder. This was done in 'soft art', which means it's not outlined in black, but is all color. It's very faded, and needs a touchup because the flesh tones are almost gone. I'm too lazy to get it touched up, and because I don't ever see it, it isn't a concern.

I have a tiny little heart near my, erm...heart. I must say, research your tattoo artist before getting the tattoo. Look at pictures of tattoos they have done. Make sure they have been doing this a while. Don't get an apprentice. That said, the outline on my heart was done with a very heavy hand. I learned my lesson.

Third is the word 'believe' on my hip, in my favorite font. Printed it up exactly the size I wanted it, and took it into the tat shop. You can do that. Bring in your own pictures (I drew the faery on my shoulder) and bring it in. THey have copy machines with transfer paper, so they just copy it and transfer the outline to your body.

I'd say, go for it, Cindy, but start small and discreet. But once you get one, you'll want another, and another. I promise. :-)

I've thought often about getting a tattoo but, so far, haven't succumbed to the lure. It’s not so much the “forever” aspect that stops me as the what-design-would-I-want-to-live-with-forever aspect. A fine line, I admit but it looms large for me.

Plus, my husband is against it. He hasn’t forbidden it (he knows better) but his standard line is, “It would be like painting graffiti on the Venus de Milo.” And how to I answer that?

Candace - OMG, does that man know the right thing to say or what? That is just priceless. My DH wouldn't like it either but again, he knows better than to say no

Michele - I should have known. LOVE the fairy idea. Gotta see that some day. And I think I need to give more thought to WHAT exactly I'd like tattooed. Maybe THE right thing would be the trick to get me in there. I do worry about the infection aspect. I know they're supposed to be safe but, if anyone would have a problem, health wise, it would be me.

Marilyn - the henna art on this woman's hands was just incredibly beautiful. If it's done free hand, no art kit in the world would help me get it right. But I'll look into it.

Cindy, just make sure the tattoo artist takes a new needle out of a package and look over their paint pots. If they are messy, you might want to change your mind. But a well-kept supply area is a must. I think a lot of people have in mind that a tattoo artist is a grungy kinda dude, but really they are artists and the good ones will take super care of their tools. You will wear an advertisement of their art, so they want to do a good job.

I got a neat henna kit years ago. I came with three silicon stencils that you lay where you want on your body and you just dab in the henna. It's kind of a mess, and you have to let the henna sit 8 hours (if I recall correctly) but the end result is so nice! And it lasts about a month.

Do the henna tattoo first, see how you like it, then go for a real one. ;-)

I got a henna tattoo in Hawaii a couple of years ago. It was cute. It lasted a couple of weeks. That was long enough for me. Many many many people in my life have tattoos, and I've watched times and tastes and significant others change while the tat is way more forever than a diamond.

Love artwork. I hang it all over the walls in my house.

My grands love the temp tattoos--some of them last through several washings and are quite lovely. Fairies are their special thing right now. Both of my granddaughters' parents have tats. I figure they need adults in their life who represent the "alternative lifestyle." So I'm going natural.

I'd do another henna tat if I happened upon a shop. It was fun to see the expressions on people's faces when they saw me sporting one. But permanent ink? It's just no me.

I'm still traumatized from getting my ears pierced decades ago, so no tattoos for me. i have a very low tolerance for pain. :)

I love the girls day with the grand though. There is something uniquely special about one-on-one time with a grand. Using the term coined by the oldest when she was four, we call these special times "Grand 'Ventures."

Janga - LOL on the ear piercings. I still can't believe i worked up the nerve to get extra piercings in each ear after the 'trauma' of the first time :o) And yes - the girl's day is now a sacred day for the two of us.

Kathy - I hear you loud and clear. Guess that's why I've lasted this long without giving in to the urg. But still ... I've got his yen...

Lois - Your mom "left until she cried?" or she "Left and then she cried?" or she "laughed until she cried? Either way, I think there was a double message in there. And I say go for it. Make it a triple threat!

I got my tattoo when I was in college. I went with a friend of mine and we both got inked. Mine is on my ankle and is pretty small. It's a rose with my sorority letters. Most of my friends got them in college too. I've always wanted to get another one, but have held off so far. Now, if I could get one when I was drunk it might be an options, but you have to be sober to get a tattoo(too much bleeding).

Liza - all right! I think I grew up in a time where tattoos weren't as accepted as they are today. Only bad boys and military guys had them. I love that body ink is not an acceptable - and desirable - form of self expression.I think I've really gotta get me some :o0

I know someone else in blogland talked about tattoos yesterday lol. I have none because of that forever thing and what looks good now and seem fitting for one time in your life may not on another.

I had this argument with my kids - now 25 and 22. The 25 year old when engaged got the word love along with her now husband on their hips. I kind of like that actually. I'm glad she waited. My youngest is an artist and I'm scared to death what she may come up with lol.

I always wanted a tattoo but like most of you, couldn't think of anything I'd want to live with forever. But a couple of years ago it came to me. I now have my daughter's name (Isabelle) in a very pretty font just below my left shoulder. There's a little heart at the end that my daughter drew herself so she's very proud of that.

Something this small is really easy. I might have been in the chair 8 minutes and there was really no pain. I do have an idea for a second one that I want on the outside of my left leg just above the ankle. Now I have to find the right artist and make it exactly what I want.

On a very significant birthday, I got a small butterfly tattoo on the inside of my right ankle. I love that dang thing and have never regretted it even though it somewhat horrified my family. I chose the spot carefully for the following reasons: I can cover it up if I want and, (please God) I don't think ankles get sag!

considered it before, but never seriously. too forever'y and too much with the needles. Ouch. I don't see myself as going in to refreshen it, either and it would drive me nuts to have that on my body not looking up to par.

Deb - I have a friend who lost her eyebrows over the years. she had new ones tattooed a year ago and loves them. But, she already has to go back in and have them redone because they faded so I hear you on that.

Keri - I'm with you on the needles and the forever part. hence - back and forth, back and forth :o)

I've got two and I love them. The first I got after coming out of a bad bout of depression - I had the Chinese character for "Hope" tattoo'd on my left ankle just to remind myself that there's always hope. The second one I had my RockCrawlinChef design - it's a fairy wrapped around an automatic pistol - couldn't be more fitting for the "GunDiva" :) I love them both and completely understand how addictive they are. The endorphin rush you get after the tattoo is over is better than any drug they can manufacture.

I have one and want another, you eventually forget the pain much like forgetting the pain of childbirth i am told.

It just becomes a part of you like a birthmark and I often forget its there. Also dont get drunk first becasue you bleed more because your blood doesnt clot when your drunk (or hungover). Just say to yourself its 30mins top of on and off pain for something that you can keep with you for a life time :)

Also i have had mine for about 6 yrs now and it still looks the same as when i got it. If you look after it (moisturise and dont go swimming in chlorine for about 3months after you get it) you wont have to get it trouched up. There is also a line of makeup out now that has a foundation type powder that completley covers up tattoos so if you decide you want to cover it up down the track you can.

I have 2 tats myself. I got my first tat when I turned 40 last year. I got a fairly small butterfly on my right shoulder. This year I got a purple lilly with a dragonfly on my left shoulder to celebrate my granddaughter's birth. She was born in Feb and her name is Lilly.

They are addictive. My hubby doesn't really say too much. He doesn't want me to get more and asked if it was going to be an every year thing. I told him I am going to add a little more to the 1st one but that would probably be it (well may be it).

I have four tattoos and I love them. Only one of them involved what could be considered pain – ladies, unless you’re getting something huge done, it’s really not painful.

I didn’t mind the forever part at all. I like the idea of having something permanent to remind me of different times/events in my life. Each tattoo signifies something important in my life – like the tiny names of my children in Japanese on my belly (one of the kids was born in Japan) – and I figure those events are forever, too. Also, I don’t mind that the tattoos age as I do – it’s like children growing, you might want them to stay toddlers for a long time, but you do enjoy them whatever age they are.

My advice: choose something personally significant (custom-made, not out of a book), carefully consider its location, then go for it :-)

I've got 3 and each one means something to me. My first was a dolphin on my left shoulder, i got this when i was 18 and it was birthday present to myself. It basically represents my indepenence and also that i can get through anything.My second,the bottom of my back in the middle i got when i was 22 and had my son, it's a heart and scroll with his name on it. Very special to me.And my third is the top of my back, i got it when i was 28 and it's 3 stars which represent my grandparents and my cousin who were all special to me but sadly passed away. I love my tattoo's and would like more, but they have to mean something to me before i mark my body permenatly.